tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:02:16 +0000CutiesChesapeake Baypoliticswhimsymusicfishingsciencepollutionbeachbirdswildlifestupidweatherhealth carefishHillaryObamacareenergyphotographyClintonschadenfreudecrimeweirdboatingClinton.comRule 5dogsglobal warmingMepresidential electionartsexSkyeemail scandalsportsState Dept.foodhumorGeorgiahealthbudgetfossilsbutterfliescurrent eventseducationMSMblogginggunsBillEPAObamagun controlsexismfrackingmoviesDonald TrumpoystersmilitaryIRS scandalclimateTVMaryland$#I*gardensLegaleaglesdiseaseeconomyflowersrantsOspreybay dietguitarMonkey DackerfeminismIRScorruptionagriculturetaxesboozeterrorismastronomycrabszero toleranceenvironmentalisminsectsnatural gasBernie SandershypocrisypaleontologyBenghaziChristmascomputergay rightsFBIGingerssea level risearcheologyfootballillegal immigrationinvasive specieswind powercarsdrugsobitsreligioncatssafetyCaliforniageneticsmodelsBaltimoreguitarshuman evolutionoilDOJbeerclothesnutrientsKeystone PipelinechildrenracismsharkswaterSupreme Courtairplanesbad sciencelawsex scandalsnowWashington Posthurricanesmushy stuffHurricane SandyboobsraceJoelanthropologyearthquakerural/urban splitbearsPotomac RiverinsurancezombiesVirginiatsunamiebolaintelligenceItalyrain taxAlexBooksRussiaimmigration rightslegislationpolice state#OccupyWalleye Petecoalhistorylaw enforcementnude protestswierdcool stuffsequestrationsunsettattoosPismo Beachcivilityoil sandswhalesCanadaCongressFloridagovernment shutdownmedicinesea nettleswombatsReviewssewageOlympicsbiofuelsdancemusic?shale oilsnakeheadstormwaterCBFConowingo DamCove PointCuties?NGOsraperegulationssolar powerChelseaHurricane IreneIslamJoe BidenOregonfemenmenhadenphysicswarfareRedskinsTSATrevorbehaviorcoffeefloodingpolitically correctrobotstreesAlaskaHuma AbedinJapanese weirdnessPutinTedcancerfreedom of speechmidterm electionnuclear energypolicesea icetravelRio OlympicsSyriaVolcanoagingair pollutionevolutionvotingAustraliadebtdolphinsdronesgasoholspace explorationtrashunemploymentBerlusconiHoganKate UptonNeandertalPennsylvaniaadvertisingcheerleaderschild abusedamhuntingmental healthriotssocialismturtlesviolenceSJWsWashington D.C.asteroid impactbaconbusinessexercisefast and furiousjusticeland useunintended consequencesvoter fraudCCNPPGas DocksKaty PerryMDDNRMomTrayvon trialautismcivil rightsemailgay marriagesealstoxicsvaccinationNew YearsNew YorkO'MalleySochi OlympicsVA scandalarchaeologyelectronicsendangered specieslanguagemiragenutritionwolvesAnacostia RiverISISMarsSusquehanna Riveranoxiacell phoneserosionhackingmoneysolar cyclesquirrelssunrisetornadotranssexualIraqLibyaNSA scandalcartoonscomicsdeersalt marshseafoodsedimentsnakesCarla BruniDNCFergusonKatie PerryPSAVenezuelaabortiondroughteyesfossil fuelmothssunspotsCIADadDakota Access PipelineNew York TimesNewtonNorth KoreaTea Partyactorschemistrydeficitelectric powerfireworksjobsmethanepsychologyswimmingtwitterAshley JuddBoston Marathon attackCharlie HedboFEMAGMOsHalloweenMalheurMexicoPatuxent RiverSan BerdooSharknado!State Dept. 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realityvisionwalruswatcheswaterfallswavesweiwhimwhimywineyoga pantsA View from the BeachOne day you wash up on the beach, wet and naked. Another day you wash back out. In between, the scenery changes constantly.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Fritz)Blogger10980125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-3119296553233161084Fri, 09 Dec 2016 23:02:00 +00002016-12-09T18:02:16.852-05:00Chesapeake Bayglobal warmingMSMsea level riseFake News from Chesapeake Bay<div class="tr_bq">I ran across this one today "<a href="http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Trump-Moves-Cast-Cloud-Over-Climate-Change-Work-in-Maryland-405507525.html">Trump Moves Cast Cloud Over Climate Change Work in Maryland</a>", the usual suspects hyperventilating over the nominations President-elect Donald Trump is making in the environmental areas. Pretty much what you'd expect, until I got to this paragraph:</div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The effects of climate change and increased pollution have resulted in consistently rising sea levels of the Bay over the past few decades.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PW3eKs-3ZxI/WEs3zNPmX5I/AAAAAAABB68/3tpcTGC-aSYCxtm7Q5J-8tt74cxUWvEKACLcB/s1600/Sea_level_baltimore%2B2016.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PW3eKs-3ZxI/WEs3zNPmX5I/AAAAAAABB68/3tpcTGC-aSYCxtm7Q5J-8tt74cxUWvEKACLcB/s400/Sea_level_baltimore%2B2016.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />If by the last few decades you mean over a century, and if by climate change you mean the change in the climate that started well before the majority of the pollution you seem so concerned with.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>And then they write:<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">From November of last year to September of this year, the mean sea level of the Bay increased by nearly one-tenth of a meter, according to data gathered from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration records.</blockquote>Of course, it turns out there is a seasonal cycle of sea level which just happens to peak in Sept.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--3DINOp19QA/WEs3i88rbCI/AAAAAAABB64/2o08GH2UXOYlFufgZAVyun6MybPPO5m4ACLcB/s1600/Sea_level_baltimore_seasonal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--3DINOp19QA/WEs3i88rbCI/AAAAAAABB64/2o08GH2UXOYlFufgZAVyun6MybPPO5m4ACLcB/s400/Sea_level_baltimore_seasonal.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />And look, no acceleration of sea level rise in the modern era<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuN7kt-RF2E/WEs1PPCmqxI/AAAAAAABB6s/o7ADReUZ_s8U-NHK10QDs_GUeyxixl5-gCLcB/s1600/Sea_level_baltimore_variation.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SuN7kt-RF2E/WEs1PPCmqxI/AAAAAAABB6s/o7ADReUZ_s8U-NHK10QDs_GUeyxixl5-gCLcB/s400/Sea_level_baltimore_variation.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />If you don't understand the science, don't write about it.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/fake-news-from-chesapeake-bay.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-8741674448970220363Fri, 09 Dec 2016 19:40:00 +00002016-12-09T14:40:50.743-05:00Chesapeake BaylegislationMarylandwaterMaryland Relaxing $#!* Regs<div class="tr_bq"><a href="http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/environment/less-expensive-septic-systems-may-be-allowed-under-change-in/article_a5bcbce1-6b72-5790-b0fb-fa49a99ae10c.html">Less expensive septic systems may be allowed under change in Maryland law</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Residents who recently received a septic system permit that requires the use of “best available technologies” may be able to put in a less expensive system because of a change in Maryland law.<br /><br />New construction projects after Jan. 1, 2013, were required to use best available technologies for capturing nitrogen to reduce the amount reaching the Chesapeake Bay. Gov. Larry Hogan removed that requirement on Nov. 24 except for “critical areas,” which are lands within 1,000 feet of tidal water. All of Frederick County is beyond that threshold.<br /><br />The addition of best available technology to a septic system can cost several thousand dollars. The state approves the specific technologies, but the Frederick County Health Department also considers cost and variations on the technology that can be used by homebuilders and commercial developers seeking a septic system permit.</blockquote>The rules being weakened were put in place during democratic administrations largely to discourage development in rural and suburban areas. While they do protect the environment in specific cases (critical areas and in shallow drinking water aquifers) they are wildly overprotective when applied across the board.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Barry Glotfelty, director of Frederick County Environmental Health Services, said the agency will review all new and resubmitted recent permits on a case-by-case basis.<br /><br />Soil type and lot size will determine if nitrogen-capturing technology is still needed to protect groundwater, Glotfelty said.</blockquote>What? Actually evaluating whether a given installation is harmful? What a novel idea!http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/maryland-relaxing-regs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-855598563463855042Fri, 09 Dec 2016 11:00:00 +00002016-12-09T06:00:03.094-05:00ChristmasCutiestreesThe Eternal Christmas Question: Real or Fake?<div class="tr_bq"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T8nnig8Gniw/WEmPVokpuJI/AAAAAAABB30/rhDbPmb9mjEEBR8OqNJFHiMoMNdKz_K2gCK4B/s1600/14sfy9g.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T8nnig8Gniw/WEmPVokpuJI/AAAAAAABB30/rhDbPmb9mjEEBR8OqNJFHiMoMNdKz_K2gCK4B/s320/14sfy9g.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real, I'm pretty sure; er, the tree I mean</td></tr></tbody></table>Trees of course. This article on the choice that I found in the Chesapeake Bay news feed exemplifies the usual arguments. Artificial or real Christmas tree? <a href="http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/artificial-or-real-christmas-tree-the-debate-over-which-is/article_812870e4-bbf8-11e6-8947-17bcedfddbf1.html">The debate over which is more 'green' continues</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">As Christmas approaches, the Scrooge-like debate is back: Am I harming the environment by buying a real, freshly cut Christmas tree?<br /><br />Or is it “greener” to go for an artificial tree and reuse it year after year?<br /><br />With more than 1 million Christmas trees cut each year in Pennsylvania alone, it’s a legitimate question.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEBkdG3kWQk/WEmPjQxJUVI/AAAAAAABB38/vzplq2Br70Mpdgp1OUlHyH_hNOCz5OK0ACK4B/s1600/452a32af3dc078341b8c06faf0c7c8c40b7a8427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEBkdG3kWQk/WEmPjQxJUVI/AAAAAAABB38/vzplq2Br70Mpdgp1OUlHyH_hNOCz5OK0ACK4B/s320/452a32af3dc078341b8c06faf0c7c8c40b7a8427.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fake, definitely fake,</td></tr></tbody></table>One thing I found perusing my "Christmas" file, is that it can be damn tough to tell a live tree from some fakes in a photo. And, who's looking at the tree anyway?<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The answer is a little complicated.<br /><br />There are pros and cons with each choice.<br /><br />“Before being cut, real Christmas trees absorb air pollutants and emit fresh oxygen,” the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s Pennsylvania Executive Director Harry Campbell said about the advantages of buying a live tree. “They stabilize soil and reduce erosion...”<br /><br />Live tree advocates are quick to point out that seedlings take a cut tree’s place. Christmas trees are grown on tree farms and are not part of forests.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lFqpvWDoLAg/WEmQCB_CkbI/AAAAAAABB4E/vrJ0ckxF-8Ag1S2CZD4_b8Sx27tC0NdYQCK4B/s1600/a2rds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lFqpvWDoLAg/WEmQCB_CkbI/AAAAAAABB4E/vrJ0ckxF-8Ag1S2CZD4_b8Sx27tC0NdYQCK4B/s320/a2rds.jpg" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Real</td></tr></tbody></table>Sure, but most cut trees end up being burned or composted, which rather rapidly uses up the oxygen they created, released as CO2 and &nbsp;puts the pollutants back to the environment, for no net improvement.<br /><a name='more'></a><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Though it may not be an environmental consideration, buying trees cut locally supports local economies.<br /><br />Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture estimates that the state has 1,360 Christmas tree farms, second only to Oregon, on 31,000 acres — fourth-highest in the United States. Lancaster County has close to a dozen such farms. Supporters point out Christmas trees are a renewable resource.<br /><br />Christmas trees may only be used for several weeks to decorate the home, then discarded. But many local communities now gather them to be composted with the compost given free to residents to boost the growth of trees and plants.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4388_4Qvvtw/WEmQPLuqO6I/AAAAAAABB4M/hehm6XQAIhA7bSoCbHX04wLVlkTKUlzCQCK4B/s1600/v48cuu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4388_4Qvvtw/WEmQPLuqO6I/AAAAAAABB4M/hehm6XQAIhA7bSoCbHX04wLVlkTKUlzCQCK4B/s320/v48cuu.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fake</td></tr></tbody></table>You can also throw them into the local lake, where they serve as a habitat for fish, and an excellent place to lose tackle. You should check to see if it's legal, first, though.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">A knock against live Christmas trees is that some are grown with the use of pesticides.<br /><br />Store-bought artificial trees do eliminate the need for cutting a live tree. And there’s no production of carbon dioxides from driving to and from a tree farm each year to cut a tree. But at what price?<br /><br />The manufacture of artificial trees involves the use of a host of petroleum-based chemicals, some of which are toxic.<br /><br />Since most artificial trees are made in Asian countries, you need to factor in the energy used to transport the goods to the United States, though a 2012 study found long-distance transport very efficient.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJ4PCgnQkLY/WEmQqbvO2AI/AAAAAAABB4U/CEfCZUc7dqsSucssAf37ZqmkX3joXaRHQCK4B/s1600/emily.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tJ4PCgnQkLY/WEmQqbvO2AI/AAAAAAABB4U/CEfCZUc7dqsSucssAf37ZqmkX3joXaRHQCK4B/s320/emily.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Only the real thing for Emily</td></tr></tbody></table>No, I don't need to "factor in the energy used to transport the goods to the United States." I can make my decision based on any criterion I want<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Eventually, the artificial trees are sent to landfills. Or, in the case of Lancaster County, to a trash-to-energy incinerator.<br /><br />“If a household uses an artificial tree for at least 4 years, its carbon footprint (with regard to Christmas trees) will be smaller than that of a household that purchases a real tree every year,” according to the American Christmas Tree Association that represents those involved in the artificial Christmas tree industry.</blockquote><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jBnsdRdIJO8/WEmRyFuF-uI/AAAAAAABB4k/O7c95Oe5kNU7R1qHuv_MIaC3XH_o_VVZQCK4B/s1600/BTD13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jBnsdRdIJO8/WEmRyFuF-uI/AAAAAAABB4k/O7c95Oe5kNU7R1qHuv_MIaC3XH_o_VVZQCK4B/s320/BTD13.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah, the old tinsel tree!</td></tr></tbody></table>You might get tired of the same cheesy fake tree every year but four years? That doesn't seem so bad. But of course, the tree grower have another take:<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">However, a Canadian study concluded that you have to use an artificial tree for at least 20 years to make it the greener choice. But, other studies say that most people keep their tree only five to seven years before replacing it with another.<br /><br />Who knew that Christmas shopping could be so complicated?</blockquote>This year, Georgia decided to dress our 30 year old Cycad up with some LED lights, and a few snowflakes and call it our Christmas tree. Well, it is Christmas, and it's a tree (or could be):<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_iJ_l0WkowE/WEmYD3WvykI/AAAAAAABB4w/XpatiFTUKIQ_7rHDI3r0RsEBwnSjux5bACK4B/s1600/120816-a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_iJ_l0WkowE/WEmYD3WvykI/AAAAAAABB4w/XpatiFTUKIQ_7rHDI3r0RsEBwnSjux5bACK4B/s400/120816-a.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-eternal-christmas-question-real-or.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-9045925767018932003Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:15:00 +00002016-12-08T17:15:08.791-05:00deathhealthObamaThanks, Obama!<a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/12/08/504667607/life-expectancy-in-u-s-drops-for-first-time-in-decades-report-finds">Life Expectancy In U.S. Drops For First Time In Decades, Report Finds</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">One of the fundamental ways scientists measure the well-being of a nation is tracking the rate at which its citizens die and how long they can be expected to live.<br /><br />So the news out of the federal government Thursday is disturbing: The overall U.S. death rate has increased for the first time in a decade, according to an analysis of the latest data. And that led to a drop in overall life expectancy for the first time since 1993, particularly among people younger than 65.<br /><br />"This is a big deal," says Philip Morgan, a demographer at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, who was not involved in the new analysis.<br /><br />"There's not a better indicator of well-being than life expectancy," he says. "The fact that it's leveling off in the U.S. is a striking finding.". . . .<br /><br />On average, the overall life expectancy, for someone born in 2015, fell from 78.9 years to 78.8 years. The life expectancy for the average American man fell two-tenths of a year — from 76.5 to 76.3. For women, it dropped one-tenth — from 81.3 to 81.2 years.</blockquote>Is it fair to blame Obama? Why not. He's been in charge for 8 years now, and:<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The epidemic of prescription opioid painkillers and heroin abuse is probably fueling the increase in unintentional injuries, Arun Hendi, a demographer at Duke University, wrote in an email. The rise in drug abuse and suicide could be due to economic factors causing despair.<br /><br />Clearly, that could be related to the economic circumstances that many Americans have experienced in the last eight years, or so, since the recession," says Irma Elo, a sociologist at the University of Pennsylvania.</blockquote>Bipartisan government dietary policies, pushing carbohydrates for years may have been a factor too.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Most notably, the overall death rate for Americans increased because mortality from heart disease and stroke increased after declining for years. Deaths were also up from Alzheimer's disease, respiratory disease, kidney disease and diabetes. More Americans also died from unintentional injuries and suicide. In all, the decline was driven by increases in deaths from eight of the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S.<br /><br />"When you see increases in so many of the leading causes of death, it's difficult to pinpoint one particular cause as the culprit," Anderson says.<br /><br />The obesity epidemic could be playing a role in the increase in deaths from heart disease, strokes, diabetes and possibly Alzheimer's. It could also be that doctors have reached the limit of what they can do to fight heart disease with current treatments.</blockquote>http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/thanks-obama.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-4793344608365443464Thu, 08 Dec 2016 21:22:00 +00002016-12-08T16:22:05.068-05:00Donald TrumpGen James MattismilitaryRecommended . . .<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JfDma8svygo/WEnOA66BOlI/AAAAAAABB5A/rYGCGDSp0nkGLvYMCzZdz6VodEMQVrwUACLcB/s1600/2e733963ef0e0311515d41cbded29256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JfDma8svygo/WEnOA66BOlI/AAAAAAABB5A/rYGCGDSp0nkGLvYMCzZdz6VodEMQVrwUACLcB/s320/2e733963ef0e0311515d41cbded29256.jpg" width="222" /></a>. . . by my inside guy at the Pentagon:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.martin-van-creveld.com/welcome-mr-secretary/">Welcome, Mr. Secretary</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">At one point during his election campaign, President-Elect Donald Trump promised to spend the first hundred days on the job restoring the U.S military. And following the endless unsuccessful wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, restoring it certainly needs. Now he has come up with the man who is supposed to do the restoring: four-star Marine Corps General (ret.) James Mattis.<br /><br />To imitate the language of the Old Testament, I shall not list “the rest of the General’s acts, and all his might, and all that he did.” They can easily be found on the Net. A few points, however, are worth taking note of. First, he is immensely experienced, having made his way up by participating in practically every war the U.S has fought from 1972 on. Second, as a high-ranking Marine he is intimately familiar with operations “in the air, on land and sea” (the Marine Corps anthem) and not just with one of the three as so many army, navy and air force generals are. Third, along with general David Petraeus he was responsible for America’s counterinsurgency doctrine. Precisely that which, in this day and age of what I once called “non-trinitarian warfare,” is the most important and the most necessary of all. Fourth, he cares for his troops. Fifth, he is a man of considerable learning such as is rarely found among his fellow officers (having lived with them, I should know). Last not least, he has no fear of speaking his mind. A quality which, in today’s politically-correct world, is as hard to find as diamonds.<br /><br />Entering office, the General will have his work cut out for him. . .</blockquote>His words "He has to overcome his lack of experience in the Pentagon but yes, I am all in."http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/recommended.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-8046415365478066681Thu, 08 Dec 2016 15:12:00 +00002016-12-08T10:12:28.466-05:00musicobitsRIP: Greg Lake<div class="tr_bq"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/dec/08/greg-lake-dies-prog-rock-king-crimson-emerson-palmer">Greg Lake, legendary prog rock bassist, dies aged 69</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Though he made his name with King Crimson and Emerson, Lake &amp; Palmer, Lake also wrote one of the most enduring Christmas hits:</blockquote><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JkweTyrRTKw" width="550"></iframe><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Greg Lake, one of the key figures in the prog rock boom of the 1970s, has died at the age of 69. In a statement posted to Lake’s Facebook page, his manager, Stewart Young, said: “Yesterday, 7 December, I lost my best friend to a long and stubborn battle with cancer. Greg Lake will stay in my heart forever, as he has always been. His family would be grateful for privacy during this time of their grief.”<br />. . .<br />Lake’s bandmate <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/16/keith-emerson-death-suicide-emerson-lake-and-palmer">Keith Emerson died earlier his year</a>.</blockquote>http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/rip-greg-lake.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-2741599006766447575Thu, 08 Dec 2016 14:49:00 +00002016-12-08T09:49:02.874-05:00bad journalismMSMviolenceLies, Damn Lies and Fake NewsIf you only read one piece on the current mediagasm about "fake news", it must be Ace's fine rant, <a href="http://ace.mu.nu/archives/367256.php">On Media Lies and Political Lore</a>. Just a taste (a big taste of a much larger piece):<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The media is always on patrol to debunk such bullshit political lore coming from the right side of the political aisle -- and make fun of right-wingers for believing such nonsense, and claim such nonsense has real consequences in life, so if you're spreading such lore, you may be killing people, for real!<br /><br />That's why they're currently in such orgasms over the #PizzaGate shooter. #PizzaGate sure sounds like Internet Detective nonsense to me, but the media has seized on this one story as a way to deflect from the fact that they've been pumping out their own FakeNews all year -- and all decade, in fact. **<br /><br />Criticizing amateur news-sleuths is a lot more fun for the media than explaining why so-called professionals are so amateurish and biased.<br /><br />But back to the lore: the media wants to find every piece of rightwing bullshit, rightwing lore they can and show how totally false fake falsity-false Lie it is.<br /><br />But notice they never challenge any leftwing lore.<br /><br />In fact, <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/media/309043-mainstream-media-is-the-chief-culprit-behind-spread-of-fake-news">they're the most prominent purveyors of such fare.</a><br /><br />And of course they don't want to talk about that.<br /><br />"Hands Up, Don't Shoot" -- the lore that Michael Brown was an innocent bystander, raising his hands in surrender as an Evil White Cop executed him for being black -- was a lie from the start, concocted by Brown's partner-in-crime (literal partner in crime -- he was present during the bodega robbery earlier that day) and then spread by a media just looking for stories that would illustrate their Narratives that we need to elect Democrats.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lb2ZEW6ZcIM/WElwzWsME_I/AAAAAAABB3g/KNC60E9pKmYXi2iv29qekKQK1O-JYk3EwCLcB/s1600/handsupdontshoot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lb2ZEW6ZcIM/WElwzWsME_I/AAAAAAABB3g/KNC60E9pKmYXi2iv29qekKQK1O-JYk3EwCLcB/s1600/handsupdontshoot.jpg" /></a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Michael Brown's mother was invited by the Democratic National Convention to speak at Hillary's four-day nominating commercial -- and she stood with parents with sons who arguably or even probably had been killed in questionable circumstances.<br /><br />Michael Brown had not been killed in questionable circumstances -- even Obama's corrupt DOJ had to admit that. Yet there she was, because leftwing political lore still deemed Michael Brown a Gentle Giant and Innocent Victim, and it didn't matter what the actual facts of the matter were.<br /><br />The media said nothing about it. They praised the folks on stage for their strength. They did not criticize Hillary Clinton for putting on a pageant containing Fake News and provable lies.<br /><br />Lore that excites conservatives -- and which may be necessary for building party unity among conservatives -- must be eradicated. Michael Flynn's son must be chased off of transition teams for believing such Vicious Lies that Have Consequences.<br /><br />But lore that excites parts of the progressive coalition -- and which may be necessary sops to some sectors of the progressive coalition to animate them into voting for an old broke-down white lady they don't even like very much -- gets a total pass.<br /><br />The media blesses such lies with silence, tacitly approving of the lie.<br /><br />There were no fact-checkers on the DNC Tragedy Pageant.<br /><br />And note that cops are being assassinated in the street -- this is no "lore," cops are being killed on the street in 2016 at a rate far exceeding that seen in <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/14/us/police-officers-fatal-shooting-line-duty-nationwide/">2015.</a><br /><br />And this is all based partly on the #FakeNews that Michael Brown himself was assassinated by cop.<br /><br />Fake news has consequences, Media -- or do those consequences not matter when they are visited upon people outside of the progressive coalition?</blockquote>As someone said, journalism is about covering important stories. With a pillow, until they stop moving.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/lies-damn-lies-and-fake-news.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-2235729899720470452Thu, 08 Dec 2016 11:00:00 +00002016-12-08T06:00:06.741-05:00CutiesDonald TrumphumorTina Fey Calls Trump a Nazi<div class="tr_bq"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9NuSSP8CX9k/WEh9cP9JlWI/AAAAAAABB0g/9TXTwvbnc-E35kHwusN1XXi3oLyxcXiYQCK4B/s1600/tina-fey-600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9NuSSP8CX9k/WEh9cP9JlWI/AAAAAAABB0g/9TXTwvbnc-E35kHwusN1XXi3oLyxcXiYQCK4B/s320/tina-fey-600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a>The parade of simple minded celebrities unhappy with Donald Trump's election continues. Being unhappy is fine. You lost, get over it. Cheat harder next time. Calling the President-elect a Nazi before his first official act seems a bit overboard:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/nb/kristine-marsh/2016/12/07/tina-fey-warns-prepare-nazi-america-under-donald-trump-presidency?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_campaign=fey-trump&amp;utm_medium=marketing">Tina Fey Warns: Prepare for Nazi America Under a Donald Trump Presidency</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Lately, Hollywood has been in a bit of panic mode. Clearly the election of Donald Trump has thrown them through a loop because they left no room for even the slimmest possibility of Trump winning the presidency. Comedian Tina Fey is no different and let her apparent distress be known to David Letterman in an interview he conducted with her for The Hollywood Reporter. The former late-night host commiserated with the former Saturday Night Live comedian over their newly found realization of American’s “misogyny”--(rich, coming from the host who admitted to sleeping with his interns)--and how they would deal with the disappointing blow.</blockquote><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--brr6pV9xl4/WEh9ocbvktI/AAAAAAABB0o/8h9a-be5jTMxw9Y0QG3pgXN4sjseM5YEQCK4B/s1600/tina-fey-07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--brr6pV9xl4/WEh9ocbvktI/AAAAAAABB0o/8h9a-be5jTMxw9Y0QG3pgXN4sjseM5YEQCK4B/s320/tina-fey-07.jpg" width="307" /></a>Misogyny is never a problem for an important lefty male. It's only a word thrown at college age males and Republicans.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Letterman began by asking Fey, “ So what do you think is the No. 1 struggle of humanity now?”<br /><br />“This is an easy one,” he added.<br /><br />Of course the unstated answer was how to deal with Donald Trump as PEOTUS. Fey advised Americans to read a Nazi filmmaker’s autobiography to get a better sense of what America was going to be like and learn how to navigate in this “increasingly ugly world:”</blockquote><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-apE0n12eLog/WEh91xu1eOI/AAAAAAABB04/MnbO3YXJHvIEMiRHtKSg6_iDSop9ycSBACK4B/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181749-400-617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-apE0n12eLog/WEh91xu1eOI/AAAAAAABB04/MnbO3YXJHvIEMiRHtKSg6_iDSop9ycSBACK4B/s320/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181749-400-617.jpg" width="207" /></a>&nbsp;Wow, Trump is the No.1 struggle of humanity? I might think hunger and disease might be more of an issue for the 1.3 billion or so people in Africa, just to pick one case.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">FEY: [H]ow are we going to proceed with any kind of dignity in an increasingly ugly world? And I actually was thinking — because I've got to write something for when I get the award — to use Sherry Lansing as an inspiration because she was a lady who worked in a very, very ugly business and always managed to be quite dignified. But in a world where the president makes fun of handicapped people and fat people, how do we proceed with dignity? I want to tell people, "If you do two things this year, watch Idiocracyby Mike Judge and read [Nazi filmmaker] Leni Riefenstahl's 800-page autobiography [Leni Riefenstahl: A Memoir] and then call it a year."</blockquote></blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UcgHWLjAPbs/WEh98nPjngI/AAAAAAABB1A/zPqIMtlIE2QQYwZSqnlqUORj9eMEoeLcQCK4B/s1600/large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="261" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UcgHWLjAPbs/WEh98nPjngI/AAAAAAABB1A/zPqIMtlIE2QQYwZSqnlqUORj9eMEoeLcQCK4B/s320/large.jpg" width="320" /></a>It takes a certain lack of introspection for the woman who carried out a disgusting propaganda campaign against Sarah Palin, largely based on her sex, to cite Leni Riefenstahl.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Letterman asked Fey to elaborate on who Riefenstahl was. Fey acknowledged Riefenstahl did “some terrible, terrible things,” but, at the same time, she was a role model for Fey, as someone who navigated in the film industry under a dictator.</blockquote><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThyGLWxsAqE/WEh-IWs31oI/AAAAAAABB1I/LZIgDYk-YaE3624qi3RQQ3Us6zWmm5f0QCK4B/s1600/718c82d04e2ccc89b1b70633c4633239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ThyGLWxsAqE/WEh-IWs31oI/AAAAAAABB1I/LZIgDYk-YaE3624qi3RQQ3Us6zWmm5f0QCK4B/s320/718c82d04e2ccc89b1b70633c4633239.jpg" width="236" /></a>I can see why she might identify strongly with the worlds best known celebrity propagandist.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><blockquote class="tr_bq">FEY: She grew up in Germany. She was in many ways a brilliant pioneer. She pioneered sports photography as we know it. She's the one who had the idea to dig a trench next to the track for the Olympics and put a camera on a dolly. But she also rolled with the punches and said, "Well, he's the fuhrer. He's my president. I'll make films for him." She did some terrible, terrible things. And I remember reading [her book] 20 years ago, thinking, "This is a real lesson, to be an artist who doesn't roll with what your leader is doing just because he's your leader."<br />LETTERMAN: My impression of this woman is that she was the sister of Satan.<br />FEY: She was in many ways. But what she claimed in the book was, "He was the president, so what was I supposed to do?" And I feel a lot of people are going to start rolling that way.</blockquote></blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gr2p5DcmSYc/WEiAxEmliWI/AAAAAAABB1Y/6Zef3Oink98XwEbS7gXtYfwbLQ9uZPfzACK4B/s1600/tina-fey-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gr2p5DcmSYc/WEiAxEmliWI/AAAAAAABB1Y/6Zef3Oink98XwEbS7gXtYfwbLQ9uZPfzACK4B/s320/tina-fey-01.jpg" width="248" /></a>Don't expect similar introspection from Tina.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Later on, Letterman asked Fey if she felt her daughters would have more opportunities than she did. Fey fretted that she used to think so, but Trump’s election showed her that “misogyny” was “much more real than two years ago.”<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">LETTERMAN Do your girls have a better awareness [of feminism and opportunity] than they might have had 20 years ago?<br />FEY: It feels like we were on the precipice of things getting pretty good, and now we're in a bit of a throwback moment. I definitely came out of last month feeling misogyny is much more real than two years ago. But the thing I worry about [more] than actual human interaction is the internet. Because that's just despicable: people just being able to be awful to each other without having to be in the same room. It's metastasizing now, thanks to our glorious president-elect who can't muster the dignity of a seventh-grader. It's so easy for people to abuse each other and to abandon all civility.</blockquote></blockquote>With a little luck, your daughters will have a chance&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKLg9QqPov4">to strip for David Lettermen, too</a>. He might live that long.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTiD40RhWFw/WEiDcFQDYtI/AAAAAAABB1g/CNKLfPvQqXYV64Y8aUu9Cu62uds98784ACK4B/s1600/24-tina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTiD40RhWFw/WEiDcFQDYtI/AAAAAAABB1g/CNKLfPvQqXYV64Y8aUu9Cu62uds98784ACK4B/s1600/24-tina.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--HD791HTbq4/WEiDwHd3o-I/AAAAAAABB1k/0_wtTRy-fVcowzHBzDwDLVIhvQSRnJsaQCLcB/s1600/1309800-tina-fey-wallpapers-and-photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--HD791HTbq4/WEiDwHd3o-I/AAAAAAABB1k/0_wtTRy-fVcowzHBzDwDLVIhvQSRnJsaQCLcB/s640/1309800-tina-fey-wallpapers-and-photos.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEE5xGxVs_w/WEiDwML73nI/AAAAAAABB1s/nvHSLjYrIlo9RnDLjYicb3Acyh0Z2oabwCLcB/s1600/1432692728442_Tina-Fey-Disneyland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XEE5xGxVs_w/WEiDwML73nI/AAAAAAABB1s/nvHSLjYrIlo9RnDLjYicb3Acyh0Z2oabwCLcB/s640/1432692728442_Tina-Fey-Disneyland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U59DUteh7Z0/WEiDwdPJq8I/AAAAAAABB14/vzFQeCaK37E8Ok6aJs8d3i2ZWe4dDuN2wCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-lindsay-lohan-mean-girls-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U59DUteh7Z0/WEiDwdPJq8I/AAAAAAABB14/vzFQeCaK37E8Ok6aJs8d3i2ZWe4dDuN2wCLcB/s640/tina-fey-lindsay-lohan-mean-girls-2.jpg" width="526" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mmY9NRNL73I/WEiDwNJqkcI/AAAAAAABB1o/QI6M1gJCwEYVVOH7XxjKdTxNQdt_50XWwCLcB/s1600/Tina-fey-Sexy-photo-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mmY9NRNL73I/WEiDwNJqkcI/AAAAAAABB1o/QI6M1gJCwEYVVOH7XxjKdTxNQdt_50XWwCLcB/s640/Tina-fey-Sexy-photo-1.jpg" width="468" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1f4qw-H-K8/WEiDwV6TfqI/AAAAAAABB10/EsYIdJArPkoxSm4gNGOjRRUT_ak34CLTQCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181718-383-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o1f4qw-H-K8/WEiDwV6TfqI/AAAAAAABB10/EsYIdJArPkoxSm4gNGOjRRUT_ak34CLTQCLcB/s640/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181718-383-500.jpg" width="490" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Moui3q19hdo/WEiDwgyLhaI/AAAAAAABB18/WAL9k7QIUtoCWBIKVu4CQZUg03O3UZj2ACLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181736-400-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Moui3q19hdo/WEiDwgyLhaI/AAAAAAABB18/WAL9k7QIUtoCWBIKVu4CQZUg03O3UZj2ACLcB/s640/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181736-400-500.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgHlbY-QR3E/WEiEDasJ5HI/AAAAAAABB2M/ljv936cH_pMf4fBBgRnqFjUhVi-QXaJXACLcB/s640/Tina-Fey-for-Esquire.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jEnFykudT2k/WEiEExd3DyI/AAAAAAABB2s/_tO7e7SmRe066ru5WjI-X70BszEH38hjgCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-pregnant-30-rock-gif-penelope-athena-1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jEnFykudT2k/WEiEExd3DyI/AAAAAAABB2s/_tO7e7SmRe066ru5WjI-X70BszEH38hjgCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-pregnant-30-rock-gif-penelope-athena-1.gif" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5wX62TpileY/WEiEDooIsTI/AAAAAAABB2Y/PSUfWHcb7PkOyEtnLkE_aDBSZglEPHLQwCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181711-500-282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5wX62TpileY/WEiEDooIsTI/AAAAAAABB2Y/PSUfWHcb7PkOyEtnLkE_aDBSZglEPHLQwCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181711-500-282.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_9D2caqqFY8/WEiEDwQ4jyI/AAAAAAABB2g/89VYlutxrMsyTXD7a9UGmdhnvG3CqYHqgCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181715-460-372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_9D2caqqFY8/WEiEDwQ4jyI/AAAAAAABB2g/89VYlutxrMsyTXD7a9UGmdhnvG3CqYHqgCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181715-460-372.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6bMxRT_SBrk/WEiED4faveI/AAAAAAABB2k/hlB4KZDUmk8JC1aRVx88rde-RdQH_dEAACLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181724-500-300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6bMxRT_SBrk/WEiED4faveI/AAAAAAABB2k/hlB4KZDUmk8JC1aRVx88rde-RdQH_dEAACLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181724-500-300.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XD50mVAbhGM/WEiEEEi2hMI/AAAAAAABB2o/2OL2iHoUVyERbww0CnrKBWCNRP1uCpv2QCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181766-493-339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XD50mVAbhGM/WEiEEEi2hMI/AAAAAAABB2o/2OL2iHoUVyERbww0CnrKBWCNRP1uCpv2QCLcB/s1600/tina-fey-tina-fey-16181766-493-339.jpg" /></a></div><br />http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/tina-fey-calls-trump-nazi.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-4837468669260463276Wed, 07 Dec 2016 23:28:00 +00002016-12-07T19:13:11.562-05:00Donald TrumpEPATrump Proposes Satan as EPA Head<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S7IC8arctXc/WEiVLZ81diI/AAAAAAABB3E/cylNctCdAWAVvrCoRii-EUm9_ynA1U1nwCK4B/s1600/Delville%252C%2BJean%2B-%2BSatan%2527s%2BTreasures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="312" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S7IC8arctXc/WEiVLZ81diI/AAAAAAABB3E/cylNctCdAWAVvrCoRii-EUm9_ynA1U1nwCK4B/s320/Delville%252C%2BJean%2B-%2BSatan%2527s%2BTreasures.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Delville">Jean Delville</a> - Satan's Treasures</td></tr></tbody></table>Actually, I suspect the EPA personnel as a whole would prefer Satan, as at least a kindred soul: <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/309266-trump-taps-oklahoma-attorney-general-to-lead-epa">Trump taps Oklahoma attorney general to lead EPA</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br />President-elect <a href="http://thehill.com/people/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> plans to nominate Scott Pruitt, the Republican attorney general of Oklahoma and a frequent legal adversary to President Obama, to lead the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a transition official told The Hill.<br /><br />If confirmed by the Senate to oversee the 15,000-employee agency, Pruitt would take the lead on dismantling the EPA regulations that Trump targeted throughout his campaign as job killers that restrict economic growth. <br /><br />Pruitt has been a legal opponent of President Obama over nearly every major regulation and executive action, not only on environmental issues but also ObamaCare, immigration and bathroom use by transgender people. <br /><br />Pruitt has led litigation against Obama’s landmark climate rule for power plants, as well as water regulations and standards for ground-level ozone pollution, haze, methane and more. <br /><br />As EPA head, Pruitt would help carry out Trump’s campaign promises to repeal Obama’s entire executive climate change agenda, including the Clean Power Plan, which the president-elect said he will target in his first 100 days in office.<br /><br />Democrats and enviromentalists are already gearing up to fight his nomination. <br /><br />“We’re certainly going to draw a line in the sand,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee.</blockquote>This might be a good time to remind Federal workers that up to <a href="http://www.investors.com/politics/editorials/good-news-35-of-govt-workers-threaten-to-quit-if-trump-wins/">35% of them threatened to quit if Trump were elected.&nbsp;</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dzf0fypI9VA/WEiliEyJyXI/AAAAAAABB3Q/qZ4HS93WPT0wpdgD3UT2i9RDBSEyey0QACLcB/s1600/Exploding-head.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dzf0fypI9VA/WEiliEyJyXI/AAAAAAABB3Q/qZ4HS93WPT0wpdgD3UT2i9RDBSEyey0QACLcB/s400/Exploding-head.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/trump-proposes-satan-as-epa-head.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-4435448944633437526Wed, 07 Dec 2016 17:09:00 +00002016-12-07T12:09:25.461-05:00frackingoilscienceshale oilFracking to Make Way For Nuking?<a href="http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2016/12/new_technology_better_than_fracking_could_vastly_expand_oil_reserves.html">Microwaves offer possibility of enhanced oil recovery without water:</a><br /><blockquote span="" style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Hydraulic fracturing, aka fracking, has revolutionized energy production in the United States and cornered OPEC. That cartel is currently attempting to restrict oil production and raise prices, but it faces the reality that American frackers can rapidly expand output. It’s a nightmare if you are a corrupt petro-dictator of any stripe, communist to jihadist.<br />Now the never-ending quest for new technologies has yielded a potentially revolutionary replacement or substitute for fracking: microwaving shale to extract oil and gas. James Watkins reports in <a href="http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/12/why_obama_likely_is_secretly_glad_hillary_lost.html">Ozy.com</a>:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">As strange as it sounds, producers are experimenting with ways to zap previously unextractable oil resources with microwaves, which has the potential to kick-start an even bigger energy revolution than fracking — and appease environmentalists while they’re at it. This is potentially “a whole shift in the paradigm,” says Peter Kearl, co-founder and CTO of Qmast, a Colorado-based company pioneering the use of the microwave tech. Some marquee names are betting on the play: Oil giants BP and ConocoPhillips are pouring resources into developing similar extraction techniques, which can be far less water- and energy-intensive than fracking.<br />If producers can find a way to microwave oil shales in the <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2012/3145/FS12-3145.pdf">Green River Formation</a>, which sprawls across Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, the nation’s recoverable reserves could soar and <a href="http://www.ozy.com/pov/energy-independence-day-is-almost-here/3075">energy independence</a> could become more than an election slogan. Even with existing methods — strip-mining the shale and then cooking it, or injecting steam to cook the rock underground (hydraulic fracturing is useless here) — the formation contains enough oil to last the U.S. 165 years at current rates of <a href="https://www.eia.gov/tools/faqs/faq.cfm?id=33&amp;t=6">consumption</a>. Microwave extraction could goose those numbers even higher. After all, there are more than 4 trillion (with a “t”) barrels of oil in the Green River Formation.</blockquote>Let’s take a deep breath. One formation, previously inaccessible, has a century and half’s worth of oil for America.<br /><br />Sure, there is technology yet to be fully implemented, but the approach sounds promising, indeed:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Producers would microwave oil shale formations with a beam as powerful as 500 household microwave ovens, cooking the kerogen and releasing the oil. It also would turn the water found naturally in the deposits to steam, which would help push the oil to the wellbore. “Once you remove the oil and water,” Kearl continues, “the rock basically becomes transparent” to the microwave beam, which can then penetrate outward farther and farther, up to about 80 feet from the wellbore. It doesn’t sound like much, but a single microwave-stimulated well, which would be drilled in formations on average nearly 1,000 feet thick, could pump about 800,000 barrels. Qmast plans to have its first systems deployed in the field in 2017 and start producing by the end of that year.<br />So in another year, we may see production begin. And even greenies would have to concede this is promising:</blockquote>Fracking can slurp up to 10 million gallons of water per operation — not good, especially in the arid West. “We don’t need water for our process,” Kearl says, “and we don’t have wastewater to dispose of afterward.” In fact, microwave extraction might produce water — one barrel of water for every three barrels of oil. In situ recovery using microwaves also avoids the massive environmental impact of mining and then processing the kerogen. What’s more, natural gas that often is flared off in conventional oil-well production could be used to power the generator that creates the microwaves.</blockquote>I have no problem with fracking. It's been a godsend to America's oil and gas self sufficiency. But there's always room for better technology. How long until the left starts opposing it?http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/fracking-to-make-way-for-nuking.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-8532896952973280556Wed, 07 Dec 2016 13:56:00 +00002016-12-07T11:41:01.835-05:00bad journalismbad scienceevolutionfeminismfishsciencesexsexismHornier Men Make For Smarter Women<div class="tr_bq">At least in Mosquitofish:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/11/23/Some-female-fish-evolve-bigger-brains-as-males-develop-larger-genitals/3871479923089/">Some female fish evolve bigger brains as males develop larger genitals</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">New research suggests sexual conflict among fish can encourage both bigger brains and larger genitals.<br /><br />In lab tests involving eastern mosquitofish, scientists found males with larger genitals triggered the development of bigger female brains.<br /><br />Previous fish studies have shown the antagonistic relationship among predators and their prey inspires the evolution of larger brains. More recently, scientists from Sweden and Australia wanted to find out if the hostile nature of female-male relationship might yield similar results.<br /><br />Scientists chose to study the eastern mosquitofish because of the unseemly nature of their copulation. For eastern mosquitofish, sex is far from consensual. Males force themselves upon females. They use a modified anal fin called a gonopodium to impregnate their victims. Fish with larger gonopodia are better able to terrorize and penetrate female fish.</blockquote><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eQ8RtqR4f7k/WEgSInN3eRI/AAAAAAABB0M/XwzR0G7sHGQtI4d8Q53Pq6UGNCkzlB7nACLcB/s1600/7152501_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eQ8RtqR4f7k/WEgSInN3eRI/AAAAAAABB0M/XwzR0G7sHGQtI4d8Q53Pq6UGNCkzlB7nACLcB/s1600/7152501_orig.jpg" /></a>I strongly disagree with the binary notion that sex among fish is either consensual or nonconsensual. Fish have instincts, and not much more. They are not thinking in terms of consent or not. The female is likely being pursued by multiple males, and her initial avoidance is a mechanism by which nature picks the better (on average) male to mate her. &nbsp;Look above, and you will see that the female Mosquitofish outweighs the male by about 3:1, and the male has that awkward gonopodium that he has to swing into position to mate with. It doesn't happen at high speed in a pursuit, it happens at the end when a female chooses (for lack of a better word) which male to mate with.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">In the lab, scientists bred one lineage of male fish for the trait of enlarged genitals. Another lineage was bred for small genitals. A third lineage was used as a control. Researchers released the different groups into tanks of female fish and allowed the populations to procreate.<br /><br />After nine generations of evolution, researchers measured the brain sizes of female fish. The brains of females subjected to males with longer gonopodia were 6 percent heavier than the brains of the other two groups.</blockquote>I'm really getting tired of the SJWs in science and the media turning everything into an issue of sexism and rape. If the animal kingdom were to operate by the standard SJW rules of engagement (explicit verbal consent at every step), there wouldn't be enough critters around to fill Noah's Ark (leaving aside the problem of attaining verbal consent in nonverbal animals. If they only understood, they'd all be laughing at us.<br /><br />http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/hornier-men-make-for-smarter-women.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-574265637317762848Wed, 07 Dec 2016 11:00:00 +00002016-12-07T07:18:43.772-05:00Cutieseducationgun controlOhio State attackA Model Student Who Prefers Self Defense<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OxshuvTqPrU/WEcaiG8cpsI/AAAAAAABBzE/hTMY2Kk_dZ4IehVQ465AXWACjZJsEkhpgCK4B/s1600/88f30a21ad6f26707e6d99e5b70dddd5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OxshuvTqPrU/WEcaiG8cpsI/AAAAAAABBzE/hTMY2Kk_dZ4IehVQ465AXWACjZJsEkhpgCK4B/s320/88f30a21ad6f26707e6d99e5b70dddd5.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><a class="tr_bq" href="http://ijr.com/2016/11/745358-after-terrorist-attack-osu-students-want-the-right-to-carry-firearms-on-campus-including-miss-ohio/">After Terrorist Attack, OSU Students Want The Right to Carry Firearms on Campus, Including 'Miss Ohio'</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">In the wake of the horrific Ohio State University knife incident that left 11 people injured and the suspect killed, an OSU student organization is taking matters into its own hands— the students' right to self-defense, to be more specific.<br /><br />Buckeyes for Concealed Carry on Campus, a chapter of the national group, Students for Concealed Carry, posted a public statement on its Facebook page and created an online petition via Change.org asking the Ohio Senate body to revise HB 48.</blockquote><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FxY7Wfejk7A/WEcaqK3UV5I/AAAAAAABBzM/CkjDA3SN4IcP33tdgnGjz93XcBK10KEeQCK4B/s1600/11358965_1592523844368413_1367975156_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FxY7Wfejk7A/WEcaqK3UV5I/AAAAAAABBzM/CkjDA3SN4IcP33tdgnGjz93XcBK10KEeQCK4B/s320/11358965_1592523844368413_1367975156_n.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br />The student group clarifies why it feels the law doesn't go far enough in ensuring protections for those who wish to carry concealed in Ohio universities. It writes,<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">“...as evidenced by pending litigation brought by Students for Concealed Carry and Ohioans for Concealed Carry against Ohio State University, there is little desire to enact a policy permitting campus carry much less follow current law with respect to possession of firearms on college campuses.”</blockquote></blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pNcGueNkFpM/WEcaxUzBBhI/AAAAAAABBzU/7Ts5ZT4YcQkXyWCnDjP9w6qkcV32V1ezACK4B/s1600/madisong5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pNcGueNkFpM/WEcaxUzBBhI/AAAAAAABBzU/7Ts5ZT4YcQkXyWCnDjP9w6qkcV32V1ezACK4B/s320/madisong5.jpg" width="213" /></a>Why should you lose your right to self defense just because you go to school?<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Members of the Buckeyes for Concealed Carry on Campus are not the only ones who are tired of not being able to defend themselves. In an exclusive interview with Independent Journal Review, third-year OSU law student and former Miss Ohio USA 2014, Madison Gesiotto, had this to say:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">“Criminals and terrorists do not respect the law, and they will not follow the law. We need campus carry to protect ourselves and out friends on campus. I am sick of schools serving as victim target zones for these criminals and terrorists. Instead, we should be empowered to protect ourselves and those around us.”</blockquote></blockquote><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NBG79dpZgps/WEca5gKiPdI/AAAAAAABBzc/8iTCUGpq0YoFJwPpS8Xo0chFgk_BIABlQCK4B/s1600/photographer_uploaded_2_126_0_1401510698_2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NBG79dpZgps/WEca5gKiPdI/AAAAAAABBzc/8iTCUGpq0YoFJwPpS8Xo0chFgk_BIABlQCK4B/s320/photographer_uploaded_2_126_0_1401510698_2014.jpg" width="212" /></a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Gesiotto is an avid supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, who has promised to get tough on mass shootings and those who carry them out.</blockquote>Is the answer to bad men with guns good women with guns? In part. &nbsp;Will it work every time? No, but the fact that you can't count on unarmed victims will deter some attackers, and stop others in their tracks.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pVXGKT2RaLA/WEcbmiJXOmI/AAAAAAABBzg/onDYYjEmnTYc5cTC52wRPXWyARqQ1zd6wCLcB/s1600/f07d5ba2f72cdac23d8fc066415c9885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pVXGKT2RaLA/WEcbmiJXOmI/AAAAAAABBzg/onDYYjEmnTYc5cTC52wRPXWyARqQ1zd6wCLcB/s640/f07d5ba2f72cdac23d8fc066415c9885.jpg" width="412" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vlDyhZ_n5LY/WEcbmVTuAXI/AAAAAAABBzo/_LG16Cm9pK4V9QAh03oCxAXatWgg0IBoQCLcB/s1600/gallery_photo1396021620Ohio_Hobby.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vlDyhZ_n5LY/WEcbmVTuAXI/AAAAAAABBzo/_LG16Cm9pK4V9QAh03oCxAXatWgg0IBoQCLcB/s640/gallery_photo1396021620Ohio_Hobby.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oaie00rVrYs/WEcbmlqi2KI/AAAAAAABBzs/6KVYfqmK3fgvrINVkodUyhHEN3cAvdGUwCLcB/s1600/madisong2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oaie00rVrYs/WEcbmlqi2KI/AAAAAAABBzs/6KVYfqmK3fgvrINVkodUyhHEN3cAvdGUwCLcB/s640/madisong2.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fJXKZlIV0hg/WEcbm83IWmI/AAAAAAABBz0/SSx1Dn9vUXYYN-i7YJtEYc54rjeSXVCNACLcB/s1600/miss%2Bohio%2BMadison%2BGesiotto9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fJXKZlIV0hg/WEcbm83IWmI/AAAAAAABBz0/SSx1Dn9vUXYYN-i7YJtEYc54rjeSXVCNACLcB/s640/miss%2Bohio%2BMadison%2BGesiotto9.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ul3Jopl5wSE/WEcbmtvTHzI/AAAAAAABBzw/TSP6Q3ljptQX3-9EW98_2mwIw1YoCGJrgCLcB/s1600/miss%2Bohio%2BMadison%2BGesiotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ul3Jopl5wSE/WEcbmtvTHzI/AAAAAAABBzw/TSP6Q3ljptQX3-9EW98_2mwIw1YoCGJrgCLcB/s400/miss%2Bohio%2BMadison%2BGesiotto.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGaohq7vJPE/WEcbmlm29nI/AAAAAAABBzk/JryPQIKhnMILHdNtZKB5Gzr3qhL-R-FLACLcB/s1600/Ohio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rGaohq7vJPE/WEcbmlm29nI/AAAAAAABBzk/JryPQIKhnMILHdNtZKB5Gzr3qhL-R-FLACLcB/s640/Ohio.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><br /><br />http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/a-model-student-who-prefers-self-defense.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-5389092432773527617Wed, 07 Dec 2016 05:00:00 +00002016-12-07T00:00:09.441-05:00censorshipChristmasmusicrapesexsexismSJWsSJWs: Is There Nothing They Won't Try to Ruin?<a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/12/06/activists-push-to-ban-baby-its-cold-outside-because-it-promotes-date-rape/">Activists push to ban ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ because it promotes date rape</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">It’s a movement that started a<a href="http://www.ravishly.com/2014/12/18/baby-its-cold-outside-scary-date-rape-song-ban-christmas-music"> few years ago</a> and has been<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/em-and-lo/a-linebyline-take-down-of_b_6334026.html"> taken up</a> with more <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/alisoncaporimo/baby-its-creepy-in-here">fervor and passion</a> every Christmas season. But this season, the movement has gained steam because, according to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/baby-its-cold-outside-rewrite-strikes-a-new-chord-on-consent_us_58457e9ae4b09e21702fa356">HuffPo</a>, a pair of songwriters have offered up alternate lyrics to make the song more politically correct, socially acceptable, and completely awful:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The duo, singer-songwriters Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski, told CNN that they felt that the original song was “aggressive and inappropriate,” arguing that the listener never finds out what happens to the woman in the song.<br />“You never figure out if she gets to go home. You never figure out if there was something in her drink. It just leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth,” said Liza.<br />The couple’s revised lyrics are adorably consensual, opening with “I really can’t stay” sung by Liza and “Baby, I’m fine with that” sung by Lemanski.<br />Most notably, when Liza sings, “I ought to say no, no, no,” Lemanksi responds with “You reserve the right to say no.”</blockquote></blockquote><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wfc7c-gE1Xk" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Yeeesh; as Stephen Green (the Vodka Pundit) <a href="https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/251109/">notes at Instapundit:</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">“Baby It’s Cold Outside” isn’t a song about date rape. It’s a cleverly told musical version of the age-old dance of seduction, where both dancers know exactly what they’re doing, every step of the way to an almost predetermined ending. “Hook-up culture” doesn’t teach those dance steps, which leads to lots of confusion and the occasional tragedy — such as ruining a charming and timeless cold-weather favorite.</blockquote>This might be a good time to remind people how it really goes, with noted sexists Zooey Deschanel and what's his name:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="309" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/U7RMy7Vg0LU" width="550"></iframe>http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/sjws-is-there-nothing-they-wont-try-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-6237543473265762498Tue, 06 Dec 2016 18:48:00 +00002016-12-06T13:48:19.219-05:00Chesapeake BayfishingMarylandoystersBecause They's Owed Them Ersters<div class="tr_bq"><a href="http://www.bayjournal.com/article/md_watermen_want_14000_acres_of_oyster_sanctuary_open_to_harvesting">MD watermen want 14,000 acres of oyster sanctuary open to harvesting</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The debate over Maryland’s oyster management is heating up, as watermen are pushing to open 14,000 acres of the state’s extensive sanctuary network to harvest.<br />Only about 1,340 of those acres actually have oysters on them, Department of Natural Resources officials said. But they include opening to harvest part of a river that’s undergone large-scale, publicly funded restoration of its reefs and oyster population.<br /><br />The proposals, outlined at a meeting of the DNR’s Oyster Advisory Commission in November, drew immediate pushback from environmentalists and scientists. And a federal fisheries official warned that granting watermen’s request to open portions of the Little Choptank River could undermine oyster repopulation efforts under way as part of Maryland’s commitment to the Chesapeake Bay restoration.<br /><br />Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton, who has indicated a willingness to tinker with the sanctuaries, called the watermen’s proposals “a starting point.” He told advisory commission members that he expected a “lengthy discussion” as they review these and other proposals to alter the state’s management of its ecologically and economically important shellfish.<br /><br />Over the years, Maryland has placed about 250,000 acres of the Bay and its tributaries in sanctuaries, of which about 30 percent is “historic oyster bottom”— areas charted as actively harvested in state surveys &nbsp;a century ago, when commercial harvests hovered around 4 million bushels annually.<br /><br />Since then, many of the reefs that once harbored oysters have vanished, worn away by repeated harvesting or buried in silt. More recent surveys indicate only about 36,000 acres of viable oyster habitat remain. Of that “productive oyster bottom,” as DNR officials call it, about 9,000 acres are in sanctuaries, with the other 27,000 acres open for harvest.</blockquote>So in addition to wanting to fish on the newly restored population in successful restoration areas (gained at major expense to the tax payer, I might add) the watermen want to prevent the state from restoring even more bottom historically suitable for oysters, so they can <strike>steal</strike> take those oysters. It doesn't make a lot of sense.<br /><br />I reiterate my plan for oyster recovery. Ban fishing on "wild" (non aquaculture) oysters for 5, or better, 10 years, without any attempt at restoration, to see if the Virginia Oysters is still capable of population expansion in the modern Chesapeake Bay. If so, great, start fishing again with real management designed to sustain and even expand that population. If not, let the oyster farmers plant their foreign species still capable of growth here.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/because-theys-owed-them-ersters.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-691046310153888653Tue, 06 Dec 2016 14:55:00 +00002016-12-06T09:55:05.503-05:00Donald Trumphealth careObamacareschadenfreudeObamaCare Schadenfreude, Again?<div class="tr_bq">I got nuttin' much going on this morning, so I might as well clean up the Obamacare Schadenfreude bin before it goes rancid.<br /><br />Emerging plans for Obamacare suggest that the Republicans are adopting "Repeal and Delay" strategy. William Teach approves:&nbsp;<a href="http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2016/12/bummer-gop-plans-immediate-obamacare.html#more">BUMMER: GOP Plans Immediate Obamacare Repeal and Delay</a>. By way of Wombat-socho's &nbsp;<a href="http://theothermccain.com/2016/12/05/in-the-mailbox-12-05-16/">"In The Mailbox: 12.05.16"</a>, the usually sensible Megan McArdle explains&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-12-05/the-allure-of-repeal-and-delay-for-obamacare-s-critics">The Allure of 'Repeal and Delay' for Obamacare's Critics</a>, and why that is not likely to be a viable option.</div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The idea of the moment is “repeal and delay”: pass a repeal bill now, but delay its implementation for three years to give Republicans some time to come up with a replacement bill.<br /><br />The arguments for doing this are not crazy on their face. Obamacare’s implementation was delayed for almost four years, giving the Obama administration time to build the exchanges (well, almost) and make decisions about the trillion-and-one fiddling operational details that accompany any massive new policy change. Even then, they had a running head start; a national health system had been a major priority of Democratic wonks for decades. They had spent a lot of time, and cultivated a lot of expertise, mapping out what that system should look like. </blockquote>&nbsp;and it still sucked. Maybe because their rationale behind it was flawed.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Health-care reform has never been a similar priority for Republicans. Their stock of experts and white papers is much smaller, their consensus on what (if anything) should be done much weaker. Delay would give them time to put something coherent together.</blockquote><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Repealing Obamacare on a time-delay, on the other hand, ratchets regime uncertainty up to “Defcon 1.” The exchanges have so far mostly been unprofitable for insurers (although with big rate hikes in many states, that may change this year). The companies have stayed in largely because they’re hoping that the exchanges will be profitable in the future. If you announce that the law creating those exchanges will sunset in three years, to be replaced by some unspecified new program, then the companies' incentive to keep offering insurance vanishes, and the exchanges will probably completely collapse in 2018, with a replacement plan still years away.<br /><br />This is a compelling argument that repeal and delay is apt to go awry. But supporters of Obamacare shouldn’t take too much comfort in that fact, because whether or not Republicans pass “repeal and delay,” insurers will be facing considerable regime uncertainty -- at a time when the exchanges were already so fragile that it’s far from clear they can withstand another blow.</blockquote>Sometimes it's better to just rip the Band aid off. Delay usually just means the bureaucracy goes back to its usual games until the deadline comes again, and then they'll plead for another extension. &nbsp;Ignore the New York Times when it says.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/03/us/politics/why-it-will-be-hard-to-repeal-obamacare.html">Why It Will </a><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/12/03/us/politics/why-it-will-be-hard-to-repeal-obamacare.html">Be Hard to Repeal Obamacare</a>, because often the hard thing is the right thing to do.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Obamacare continues it's death spiral:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/03/us/inaccurate-doctor-directories-insurance-enrollment.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&amp;action=click&amp;contentCollection=health&amp;region=rank&amp;module=package&amp;version=highlights&amp;contentPlacement=2&amp;pgtype=sectionfront">Insurers’ Flawed Directories Leave Patients Scrambling for In-Network Doctors</a>. Doctors are bailing out faster than the insurance companies can keep them up. But somehow, with the NYT, it's all Donald Trump's fault.&nbsp;<a href="http://freebeacon.com/issues/record-high-health-care-spending-hits-3-2-trillion-2015/">Record-High Health Care Spending Hits $3.2 Trillion in 2015</a>. A trillion here, a trillion there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money.<br /><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/5/federal-court-halts-obamacare-appeal/"><br /></a> <a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/dec/5/federal-court-halts-obamacare-appeal/">Federal court halts Obamacare appeal, deals setback to president</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">A federal appeals court put a key Obamacare case on hold Monday as judges begin to anticipate a President Trump, and move to give his administration the chance to change the Obama administration’s legal strategy on everything from immigration to health care.<br />. . .<br />The case stemmed from a challenge the House of Representatives filed against Mr. Obama’s Health and Human Services Department, which made Obamacare payments to insurance companies despite Congress zeroing the funding out in its appropriations bills.<br /><br />A lower court sided with the House, ruling both that lawyers had standing to sue and that the spending was illegal.<br /><br />Mr. Obama had fought to keep the case on track, with his lawyers arguing insurance companies who are counting on the money could be confused, and might be scared away from participating in Obamacare.</blockquote>http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/obamacare-schadenfreude-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-8753284051438500721Tue, 06 Dec 2016 11:00:00 +00002016-12-06T09:10:38.198-05:00CutiesDonald Trumppresidential electionGidget Just Doesn't Get It<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1XabEirB1M4/WEXoGVti1VI/AAAAAAABBwc/UnVIvygx6GE3id7G9MhPDowCleE3fpwEQCK4B/s1600/d7f60540ed26d3eeba0c387997501701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1XabEirB1M4/WEXoGVti1VI/AAAAAAABBwc/UnVIvygx6GE3id7G9MhPDowCleE3fpwEQCK4B/s320/d7f60540ed26d3eeba0c387997501701.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Another post in a potentially long series of airhead actresses (I'll let someone else handle the actors) who can't grasp the Trump victory:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2016/12/04/sally-field-trump-everything-accused-hillary-clinton/?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social">Sally Field Still Coming to Terms with Trump Win: ‘I Just Don’t Understand It’</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Four weeks after Donald Trump’s stunning victory over Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, Sally Field still can’t understand how the billionaire Republican businessman pulled it off.<br /><br />In a heated <a href="https://twitter.com/Chelseashow/status/804457257651949568">interview</a> on Chelsea Handler’s Netflix talk show this week, the 70-year-old actress said that she joined Twitter the day after the election in an attempt to make sense of Trump’s win.</blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0MPjmRFxho/WEXoNcnbinI/AAAAAAABBwk/v7-wHxLXOOIYNzTG-JVI7ka4iNe0FB8dgCK4B/s1600/d693725ea9dd406fca17d3fa0901e798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i0MPjmRFxho/WEXoNcnbinI/AAAAAAABBwk/v7-wHxLXOOIYNzTG-JVI7ka4iNe0FB8dgCK4B/s320/d693725ea9dd406fca17d3fa0901e798.jpg" width="272" /></a>I have a soft spot for Sally, for all those sappy movies.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">“If you look at his past, if you look at his history, there is no evidence that he can do one single thing&nbsp;that he says he’s going to do,” Field told Handler. “He has shown to be everything that he accuses and has accused Hillary Clinton of being. It is now evident he is all of those things, every single thing that he accused her of.”<br /><br />Field said she doesn’t believe that everyone who voted for Trump is a “bad and horrible” person, but she just can’t understand how he won.</blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8wp9f5McO48/WEXoSS8733I/AAAAAAABBws/_q9bEhSjlqEIDk2fXdQUgAgA6Xq7QD6JACK4B/s1600/e3677066cf2dbc41ca3d3f98ad24ca7c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8wp9f5McO48/WEXoSS8733I/AAAAAAABBws/_q9bEhSjlqEIDk2fXdQUgAgA6Xq7QD6JACK4B/s320/e3677066cf2dbc41ca3d3f98ad24ca7c.jpg" width="204" /></a>&nbsp;It's so comforting to know she doesn't think half the voters are bad people.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">“I want to know what other people are thinking,” the actress said. “I want to know why they voted for this man who does not stand for anything.”<br /><br />Field also lamented that Trump won the Electoral College but lost in the popular vote: “I don’t understand why they call this a democracy and yet the people are not getting the representation that they voted for.”</blockquote>Maybe that's why Benjamin Franklin said <a href="http://www.bartleby.com/73/1593.html">"A Republic, if you can keep it"</a>&nbsp;when asked what kind of government they had created after the Constitutional Convention.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQbkST5AvUM/WEXojs0mSgI/AAAAAAABBw8/TM3yVhMzHYgWspL6AWCqzHFnzWS2XITggCK4B/s1600/sally-field%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tQbkST5AvUM/WEXojs0mSgI/AAAAAAABBw8/TM3yVhMzHYgWspL6AWCqzHFnzWS2XITggCK4B/s200/sally-field%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="154" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F6MVY1qZKxk/WEXoe17k4WI/AAAAAAABBw0/IjPa0KPdXoAOIW9D7WiSa8mjVLbVohtHgCK4B/s1600/ldroMj2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F6MVY1qZKxk/WEXoe17k4WI/AAAAAAABBw0/IjPa0KPdXoAOIW9D7WiSa8mjVLbVohtHgCK4B/s200/ldroMj2.jpg" width="160" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRM4hJIwcAs/WEXo6BvCt-I/AAAAAAABBxM/Ob7KLDhe9QcMMjP8pX-gO1mWTfH8cjvbQCK4B/s1600/full-sally-field-smokey-and-the-bandit-1546729698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jRM4hJIwcAs/WEXo6BvCt-I/AAAAAAABBxM/Ob7KLDhe9QcMMjP8pX-gO1mWTfH8cjvbQCK4B/s200/full-sally-field-smokey-and-the-bandit-1546729698.jpg" width="135" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVb8B2jjY-I/WEXouZHzbCI/AAAAAAABBxE/QSHo_6eFbtgtS76cg7iXAP2CvoRFXQTbgCK4B/s1600/sally-field-gidget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVb8B2jjY-I/WEXouZHzbCI/AAAAAAABBxE/QSHo_6eFbtgtS76cg7iXAP2CvoRFXQTbgCK4B/s200/sally-field-gidget.jpg" width="157" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aLGTMjuLWfs/WEXpAlLyIYI/AAAAAAABBxU/yWx34yUCBHEh1B2s1EotftUBnisX00wIACK4B/s1600/mtmwnzczmjaymdc4mde4mtc5-46c325aa_web.jpg" imageanchor="1"></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wk1vFQdIEog/WEXpHWV_OcI/AAAAAAABBxc/nZZvZKwL-mcW1wi7ZWrLwGnxMmHnSC-EACK4B/s1600/af03137f6aa626d662be8a6fde8d129b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wk1vFQdIEog/WEXpHWV_OcI/AAAAAAABBxc/nZZvZKwL-mcW1wi7ZWrLwGnxMmHnSC-EACK4B/s200/af03137f6aa626d662be8a6fde8d129b.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="185" /></a></div><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aLGTMjuLWfs/WEXpAlLyIYI/AAAAAAABBxU/yWx34yUCBHEh1B2s1EotftUBnisX00wIACK4B/s1600/mtmwnzczmjaymdc4mde4mtc5-46c325aa_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aLGTMjuLWfs/WEXpAlLyIYI/AAAAAAABBxU/yWx34yUCBHEh1B2s1EotftUBnisX00wIACK4B/s200/mtmwnzczmjaymdc4mde4mtc5-46c325aa_web.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bc3ilHXgBfA/WEXqfRzKgtI/AAAAAAABBxs/Jdh4uGSIfuQTvzqiLBDKrenSfptaLdKEwCK4B/s1600/091e127b77ee65a3933898ba1d8a8eff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bc3ilHXgBfA/WEXqfRzKgtI/AAAAAAABBxs/Jdh4uGSIfuQTvzqiLBDKrenSfptaLdKEwCK4B/s200/091e127b77ee65a3933898ba1d8a8eff.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UKnApGECNKM/WEXqKhtukzI/AAAAAAABBxk/AqgDpHxw5NAtVAkYvlOAe2wMEZAGINkcACK4B/s1600/SmokeyBandit_098Pyxurz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UKnApGECNKM/WEXqKhtukzI/AAAAAAABBxk/AqgDpHxw5NAtVAkYvlOAe2wMEZAGINkcACK4B/s200/SmokeyBandit_098Pyxurz.jpg" width="200" /></a>http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/gidget-just-doesnt-get-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-1145766980676114464Tue, 06 Dec 2016 05:07:00 +00002016-12-06T00:09:48.693-05:00moviesSharknado!sharksToo Good Not To StealFrom Ace's ONT:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EEv2KCT-Qpk/WEZFnjGrtpI/AAAAAAABByg/be0ie_egUb00CIzdZ-X-uSsTJvJwvrVuQCLcB/s1600/brought%2Bto%2Byou%2Bby%2Bsignage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EEv2KCT-Qpk/WEZFnjGrtpI/AAAAAAABByg/be0ie_egUb00CIzdZ-X-uSsTJvJwvrVuQCLcB/s1600/brought%2Bto%2Byou%2Bby%2Bsignage.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GvU1EKOW17M/WEZHVpM-rPI/AAAAAAABByo/5_qoDQIq_9YFyfTGO5aGOwr4mfIYOk1XgCLcB/s1600/sharknado-3gif-e2815a8af8f8ca20.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GvU1EKOW17M/WEZHVpM-rPI/AAAAAAABByo/5_qoDQIq_9YFyfTGO5aGOwr4mfIYOk1XgCLcB/s1600/sharknado-3gif-e2815a8af8f8ca20.gif" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcvxzfOqd0Q/WEZIDGqC3VI/AAAAAAABBys/k8zkbcmfB_klr3961gEGqcS2_DuR09tRACLcB/s1600/25-saw-hand.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QcvxzfOqd0Q/WEZIDGqC3VI/AAAAAAABBys/k8zkbcmfB_klr3961gEGqcS2_DuR09tRACLcB/s1600/25-saw-hand.gif" /></a></div><br /><br />http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/too-good-not-to-steal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-8594563845166001018Tue, 06 Dec 2016 01:00:00 +00002016-12-05T20:00:03.520-05:00crimeFloridastupidFloron du Jour<div class="tr_bq"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isEYrKtP8fk/WEYNPtczvnI/AAAAAAABByQ/PWiteUver70DF1i7BETektmxrIdLt7-dgCLcB/s1600/ASO16JBN004277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-isEYrKtP8fk/WEYNPtczvnI/AAAAAAABByQ/PWiteUver70DF1i7BETektmxrIdLt7-dgCLcB/s320/ASO16JBN004277.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="http://www.clickorlando.com/news/gainesville-woman-arrested-after-twerking-on-car-ignoring-officers">Florida woman arrested after twerking on car, police say</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">A noise complaint made about a Gainesville woman landed her in jail after she refused to stop twerking on her car and playing loud music, the Independent Florida Alligator reported. It was 3:15 a.m. Saturday when Gainesville police found Danielle Lanae Jefferson, 35, dancing to loud rap music, according to a police report.<br /><br />The officers were responding to a noise complaint placed by Jefferson’s neighbors, alleging that Jefferson had been playing the music for more than 20 minutes. When they asked her to turn down the music, she refused and began twerking on her vehicle while speaking to the officers, according to the report.<br /><br />Police then issued her a noise-warning notice and gave her 15 minutes to comply, but she started twerking again. According to the report, she told police they could arrest her if they wanted. The officers then issued her a citation and asked her to sign it. Instead of signing it, she crumpled it and threw it at an officer’s chest, leading to her arrest on a charge of resisting an officer without violence, according to the report.<br /><br />Following her arrest, Jefferson told an officer she thought he was “cute” and wanted to keep him around to “argue,” according to the report.</blockquote>No word on whether he subsequently asked her out.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/floron-du-jour.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-7588757501310352651Mon, 05 Dec 2016 23:27:00 +00002016-12-05T18:27:00.772-05:00Chesapeake BayfishingmenhadenASMFC to Revisit Menhaden Catch?<a href="http://www.bayjournal.com/article/big_changes_in_the_air_over_little_menhaden">Hearings examine ecological value, catch allocation of forage fish species</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">In 2012, the Atlantic States commission imposed a first-ever coastwide <a href="http://www.bayjournal.com/article/commission_reduces_menhaden_harvest_20">catch reduction of 20 percent</a> for menhaden after a scientific assessment concluded they were overfished. A followup study using new models and information concluded last year that the earlier assessment was wrong. The commission has responded by twice ratcheting up annual catch limits, with a 6.5 percent increase approved in October, allowing for 200,000 metric tons to be caught coastwide in 2017.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-77mC62cfb7g/WEX2T_CatYI/AAAAAAABBx0/AmDc97lvFeMvEjAHdCtGkDjYhdr_D0U8ACLcB/s1600/Striped-Bass-gobbling-up-a-Menhaden.-Photo-by-John-McMurray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-77mC62cfb7g/WEX2T_CatYI/AAAAAAABBx0/AmDc97lvFeMvEjAHdCtGkDjYhdr_D0U8ACLcB/s320/Striped-Bass-gobbling-up-a-Menhaden.-Photo-by-John-McMurray.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Now, the commission is trying to come up with new “<a href="http://www.asmfc.org/files/PublicInput/AtlMenhadenAmend3PID_PublicComment.pdf">ecological reference points</a>” which, if adopted, would impose catch limits on menhaden that would ensure enough are left in the water to sustain other species that feed on them. Scientists have come up with general guidelines for protecting some other forage species. For instance, Pacific Coast fishery managers use them in setting a catch cutoff for sardines.<br /><br />But a workgroup set up last year by the Atlantic states commission has expressed concerns about the applicability to menhaden of general guidelines for regulating other forage species. Menhaden aren’t as vital to the diet of other East Coast species as forage fish in some other settings, the group noted. In any event, developing ecological guidelines specific to menhaden may take until 2019, the group has said.</blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VK1XScCtIJI/WEX2ik_1SRI/AAAAAAABBx4/XJeNIQxsZXwGq4ewgnVI3Lt5CQmn5Q9bgCLcB/s1600/11188693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VK1XScCtIJI/WEX2ik_1SRI/AAAAAAABBx4/XJeNIQxsZXwGq4ewgnVI3Lt5CQmn5Q9bgCLcB/s320/11188693.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Right now, the larger Striped Bass in Chesapeake Bay are eating almost exclusively menhaden.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><br />As a result, the Atlantic States commission is seeking public comment on whether to apply general forage species guidelines or continue with the effort to tailor an approach specific to menhaden. And if the effort is to continue, the commission is weighing whether to set some interim limits until the workgroup has finished its task. (It’s also taking input on a “no-action” option, asking if it should drop the ecological reference point idea altogether and keep setting catch limits focused only on ensuring the sustainability of the menhaden stock.)</blockquote><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tcp7UemEMEw/WEX20R6joDI/AAAAAAABBx8/OjsyPL2-B1U-d1yt2QngCzNqP8H26sMTACLcB/s1600/Osprey_With_Fish_16x9%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tcp7UemEMEw/WEX20R6joDI/AAAAAAABBx8/OjsyPL2-B1U-d1yt2QngCzNqP8H26sMTACLcB/s320/Osprey_With_Fish_16x9%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Conservation and recreational fishing groups are urging the commission to set interim ecologically based limits now, using existing scientific guidelines for other forage species.<br /><br />“We want to make sure we have forage out there so it can support a whole host of commercial and recreational fisheries,” said Chris Moore, senior scientist with the <a href="http://www.cbf.org/">Chesapeake Bay Foundation</a>. It also “ensures there are enough menhaden in the water to fulfill their role in the food chain for the protection of all marine life,” he explained in an email to foundation supporters.</blockquote><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_QyWflyrgmc/WEX3JAvaxxI/AAAAAAABByA/Q87yNAhhpu0GsLFoObwi9f2ETHqs0tjngCLcB/s1600/Humpback-Whale-Foraging-on-Menhaden-just-off-New-York-City.-Photo-by-Artie-Raslich-Gotham-Whale..jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_QyWflyrgmc/WEX3JAvaxxI/AAAAAAABByA/Q87yNAhhpu0GsLFoObwi9f2ETHqs0tjngCLcB/s320/Humpback-Whale-Foraging-on-Menhaden-just-off-New-York-City.-Photo-by-Artie-Raslich-Gotham-Whale..jpg" width="320" /></a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Commercial fishing interests, though, want to wait until 2019 to see what the workgroup comes up with. Ben Landry, spokesman for Omega Protein, called it premature to adopt ecological guidelines for regulating the menhaden fishery before the issue has been thoroughly studied. He noted that even with the recent increases approved by the commission, the catch is still below what scientists say is sustainable.</blockquote>Everybody likes Menhaden.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/asmfc-to-revisit-menhaden-catch.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-811744462080523941Mon, 05 Dec 2016 22:08:00 +00002016-12-05T17:08:41.840-05:00Dakota Access Pipelineenergyoiloil sandsshale oilWhite House Stops Dakota Access Pipeline<a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/12/05/white-house-not-the-army-halts-dakota-access-pipeline-work-yet-again/">White House (not the Army) halts Dakota Access Pipeline work yet again</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Throwing yet another wrench into what has long since been settled law in the courts, the Army Corps of Engineers (CoE) issued another conflicting announcement this weekend in which they claimed that an easement for the Dakota Access Pipeline to go under Lake Oahe would not be granted. This, of course, had the professional protesters in the area celebrating and the company building the project <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/04/politics/dakota-access-pipeline/">shaking their heads in disbelief</a>. (CNN))<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The Army will not approve an easement that would allow the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline to cross under Lake Oahe in North Dakota, the Army’s assistant secretary for civil works announced Sunday.<br />Jo-Ellen Darcy said in a press release she based her decision on a need to explore alternate routes for the Dakota Access Pipeline crossing. It was announced on November 14, 2016 that her office was delaying the decision on the easement to allow for discussions with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, whose reservation lies 0.5 miles south of the proposed crossing.</blockquote></blockquote><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C_9sl7Ddp8w/WEXksdb6t1I/AAAAAAABBwQ/6o8N6XCeR9IFjyDXA7Iwpccp4fBwnL8RwCLcB/s1600/15171027_10211087756966772_2662529093846661517_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C_9sl7Ddp8w/WEXksdb6t1I/AAAAAAABBwQ/6o8N6XCeR9IFjyDXA7Iwpccp4fBwnL8RwCLcB/s320/15171027_10211087756966772_2662529093846661517_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>The pipeline is done, except for the final mine, which crosses the river.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">As <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/dakota-pipeline-protests/army-corps-makes-decision-dakota-access-pipeline-n691771?cid=eml_nbn_20161204">NBC News was reporting</a> yesterday, both Energy Transfer Partners (the owners of the project) and both of the state’s senators called foul and said that these delays and harassment would end once Obama leaves office.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the project, denounced the decision Sunday night as “a purely political action.”<br />“The White House’s directive today to the Corps for further delay is just the latest in a series of overt and transparent political actions by an administration which has abandoned the rule of law in favor of currying favor with a narrow and extreme political constituency,” it said in a statement…<br />Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, said the decision”violates the rule of law and fails to resolve the issue. Instead, it passes the decision off to the next administration, which has already indicated it will approve the easement, and in the meantime perpetuates a difficult situation for North Dakotans.”</blockquote>Just to be clear, this obviously wasn’t a move which was made in a vacuum by the CoE. This came straight from the White House with the backing of the Justice Department. It was <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/11/02/obama-army-corps-may-looking-rerouting-dakota-access-pipeline/">over a month ago</a> when the Army began making noises about “looking at an alternate route” in response to the protests. But keep in mind that the current route is the one which the Army already approved and it was that approval which formed the basis for the state Public Service Commission’s <a href="http://hotair.com/archives/2016/10/15/defeated-court-dakota-access-pipeline-protests-continue/">decision to provide final approval</a>. That approval was twice challenged in court and upheld both times.</blockquote>Rewarding thuggery only results in more. Jan. 20th can't come soon enough. This should be on the list of last minute Obama directives to overturn on Day 1 of the Trump era. He should go in reverse order. The more recent the Obama decree, the more quickly it should be revoked.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/white-house-stops-dakota-access-pipeline.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-7550872089019514732Mon, 05 Dec 2016 13:09:00 +00002016-12-05T08:09:36.259-05:00artCutiesEMdrivephysicssciencespace explorationUsing Dark Matter to Explore the Stars?Continuing the <a href="http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/04/star-trek-impulse-drive-comes-closer-to.html">strange story</a> of the <a href="http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/11/good-news-for-unhappy-celebrities.html">mysterious EMdrive</a>, which appears to defy Newtons Law, and produce thrust without reactions mass: <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2016/11/30/could-dark-matter-be-powering-the-emdrive/#7ca2a26b1e53">Could Dark Matter Be Powering The EMdrive?</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">For every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. This formulation of Newton's third law has two very important modern consequences: one, that there's a physical quantity that's always conserved in the Universe (momentum), and two, that the laws of physics are the same irrespective of your position in space. This has a huge slew of implications, including that if you want to power a device to change its motion, you need to push against something. This could be exhaust from a rocket, tires pushing against a road, train wheels on a rail-line or even photons reflected off a sail. The one thing that's forbidden is a reactionless drive: an action without a reaction. That's exactly what the EMdrive -- the "impossible" space engine just verified by a NASA test -- claims to be. If it truly works as advertised, it violates the laws of physics. But there's a possible loophole: perhaps there is a reaction, and we just don't detect it. Perhaps the reaction occurs, but it's occurring due to dark matter.</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83PAlW53scs/WEVictcgFBI/AAAAAAABBvg/2IwFaLr64lgeHuER-UmHEpk7e5aUHeUdQCK4B/s1600/bs-Christensen-LowTech.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-83PAlW53scs/WEVictcgFBI/AAAAAAABBvg/2IwFaLr64lgeHuER-UmHEpk7e5aUHeUdQCK4B/s400/bs-Christensen-LowTech.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EMdrive in action?</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">According to the standard model of cosmology, the majority of the matter in the Universe isn't in the form of atoms, or of any known particle. Rather, the overwhelming majority of mass -- by a 5-to-1 margin -- is in the form of dark matter. Dark matter doesn't collide, annihilate or otherwise interact with either itself or other, normal matter under any known circumstances, but rather interacts only gravitationally. After 13.8 billion years like this, it forms a vast, diffuse cosmic network of gravitational structure, and forms huge spherical haloes more than a million light years in diameter that contain galaxies like our own. This means, all told, that dark matter permeates every square centimeter of our galaxy, including existing -- albeit in small densities -- inside every object on Earth, including our own bodies.</blockquote><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jy-rAaUuiE0/WEVi4wH3i1I/AAAAAAABBvo/vA4aMV8Ak2oq7lfh8RVmH4VgB0IgylujQCK4B/s1600/lrsSPEC9-150deLartigueHubert-Alize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jy-rAaUuiE0/WEVi4wH3i1I/AAAAAAABBvo/vA4aMV8Ak2oq7lfh8RVmH4VgB0IgylujQCK4B/s320/lrsSPEC9-150deLartigueHubert-Alize.jpg" width="268" /></a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">How would it work? At any point in time, there are dark matter particles passing through all regions of space, undeterred by the presence of matter or other Standard Model particles. Inside the electromagnetic cavity, photons of a particular frequency bounce around in all directions, conserving momentum and generating no thrust. But if photons moving in a particular direction -- towards the "back" of the cavity, for example -- are likely to strike a dark matter particle, three things ensue:</blockquote><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwnKgEJCEek/WEVja2kooVI/AAAAAAABBvw/etSLOvo2kKIBdkv1EgnB4E_IZAjGKzXaACK4B/s1600/bs-fsf-JimBurns-AnthologyCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bwnKgEJCEek/WEVja2kooVI/AAAAAAABBvw/etSLOvo2kKIBdkv1EgnB4E_IZAjGKzXaACK4B/s320/bs-fsf-JimBurns-AnthologyCover.jpg" width="296" /></a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><ul><li>The photon changes momentum, and moves "less backwards" and "more forwards" than before it struck the dark matter particle.</li><li>The photon strikes the inside wall of the cavity, reflecting off of it and imparting its momentum in the forward direction to the cavity itself.</li><li>The struck dark matter particle gains momentum as well in the opposite direction: backwards.</li></ul></blockquote><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ij28Zep1_kg/WEVkBsEfywI/AAAAAAABBwA/b8Xc3HqXxuk437H_HGbgakY_JK-NNLobACK4B/s1600/bs-fsf-AdamHughes-DirtyPair.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ij28Zep1_kg/WEVkBsEfywI/AAAAAAABBwA/b8Xc3HqXxuk437H_HGbgakY_JK-NNLobACK4B/s320/bs-fsf-AdamHughes-DirtyPair.jpg" width="215" /></a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Momentum is conserved because the dark matter carries it away, equal and opposite in magnitude to what the cavity absorbs.<br /><br />If this is what's truly going on, it would be revolutionary. Because dark matter is everywhere, it means that we'd only need a power source -- not fuel -- to travel anywhere in the galaxy we wanted, because every location in the galaxy contains substantial amounts of dark matter. It means that we'll have a method for detecting dark matter that was stumbled upon accidentally, and that dark matter is verified to exist. And most importantly, it means that the laws of physics aren't broken after all; momentum is still conserved.</blockquote>I really like this. It preserves Newton's Law, which has held up pretty well until now, shows a way forward to detecting dark matter directly, and offers a way to get to the stars (without throwing everything away as reaction mass). It does, however, have some drawbacks. Even if dark matter outweighs "our matter" 5 to 1, its spread rather thing (ours, by contrast, is quite lumpy), and the amount of thrust must ultimately be limited by the amount of dark matter the engine "runs through", although I doubt the engine as now contructed is anywhere near optimal.<br /><br />Hmm, does this mean it speeds up like a ram jet as it accelerates? I'll leave that question to the real physicists.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/using-dark-matter-to-explore-stars.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-5007507037239549567Mon, 05 Dec 2016 11:00:00 +00002016-12-05T07:10:34.092-05:00Cuties?Donald TrumpMadonnapresidential electionMadge Not Yet Come to Terms with Trump Presidency<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79OL2nzZAV8/WER6m1lmjII/AAAAAAABBu4/mM9nA7lKg0I77Pqb6qDf3tvnGkpAzPDqACK4B/s1600/Madonna%2B-fudervt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79OL2nzZAV8/WER6m1lmjII/AAAAAAABBu4/mM9nA7lKg0I77Pqb6qDf3tvnGkpAzPDqACK4B/s320/Madonna%2B-fudervt.jpg" width="221" /></a><a href="https://apnews.com/2a63edffcdde472686ff3709fe30a304/Madonna-raises-$7.5M-for-Malawi,-slams-Trump-in-Miami-show">Madonna slams Trump in Miami show</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Madonna kissed Ariana Grande, repeatedly criticized President elect Donald Trump and said she was ashamed to be an American in a magnetic performance in Miami on Friday night where she raised more than $7.5 million for the African nation of Malawi.</blockquote>It takes a lot to shame Madonna. Apparently, pron with Vanilla Ice isn't quite enough.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The Material Girl dug deep into her personal treasures, auctioning off pieces from her own art collection, a costume from her tour modeled by Grande and black and white photos from her 1985 wedding to ex-husband Sean Penn shot by the late photographer Herb Ritts. The trio of wedding photos sold for $230,000.</blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NkOSkWMYxSQ/WER7A46mS4I/AAAAAAABBvA/RCWrU9jgjTEOZJuaHhfv8PxGUvy6e1vdwCK4B/s1600/Madonna%2B-OpzkLYP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NkOSkWMYxSQ/WER7A46mS4I/AAAAAAABBvA/RCWrU9jgjTEOZJuaHhfv8PxGUvy6e1vdwCK4B/s320/Madonna%2B-OpzkLYP.jpg" width="221" /></a>Not my cup of tea, but good for Malawi.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Penn, who attended the fundraiser and bid on several pricey items when the auction stalled, handcuffed Madonna and crawled through her legs at one point as the two tried to coerce the audience to bid higher.<br />. . .<br />Madonna, who performed in a pink sequined clown top and fishnet stockings, seemed to hold nothing back, especially her opinions on the election, joking with the audience that she had promised to perform sexual favors for those who voted for Hillary.</blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cN78YgpfEjg/WER7NViUCWI/AAAAAAABBvI/RcueGtUeHAgYwGTuOwd8Nv8Yhas_d_qGgCK4B/s1600/Madonna%2B-jnLZzXM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cN78YgpfEjg/WER7NViUCWI/AAAAAAABBvI/RcueGtUeHAgYwGTuOwd8Nv8Yhas_d_qGgCK4B/s320/Madonna%2B-jnLZzXM.jpg" width="221" /></a><br /><br /><br />No wonder Trump won!<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">She coyly said she'd been in Donald Trump's bed, but later revealed it was for a magazine photo shoot and that Trump wasn't even there — and she criticized his cheap sheets.<br /><br />"They won't be Egyptian cotton because we all know how he feels about Muslims don't we," she said as some audience members gasped.</blockquote><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9CoxynZlxow/WER8VGFqlbI/AAAAAAABBvQ/mZQOUl2ex9A7WKXEkex2nOaRYF9XlNwSgCK4B/s1600/Madonna%2B-PdHQdrH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9CoxynZlxow/WER8VGFqlbI/AAAAAAABBvQ/mZQOUl2ex9A7WKXEkex2nOaRYF9XlNwSgCK4B/s320/Madonna%2B-PdHQdrH.jpg" width="221" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />Actually, <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/egypt/2016-11-29/egypts-unlikely-ardor-trump">many Egyptians are strongly pro-Trump,</a> having been screwed by Hillary and Obama.<br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Hillary Clinton is hugely unpopular in Egypt—a function primarily of her having served as secretary of state under U.S. President Barack Obama during the 2011 Egyptian revolution, which toppled longtime leader Hosni Mubarak. Ten days into the revolution, Obama demanded that his Egyptian counterpart, a three-decade U.S. ally, heed protesters’ demands and immediately step down. For those Egyptians who were positively inclined toward the military-led regime—and even for much of the apolitical middle, which is concerned above all with stability—the move was a betrayal. It paved the way for the Muslim Brotherhood’s election a year later and its subsequent, bloody removal by the military in July 2013. Clinton’s close relationship with her aide Huma Abedin—whose family some critics allege is sympathetic to the Brotherhood—didn’t help her favorability ratings in Egypt.</blockquote>http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/madge-not-yet-come-to-terms-with-trump.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-3467618839625443833Sun, 04 Dec 2016 23:05:00 +00002016-12-04T18:05:51.052-05:00environmentalismEPAEPA Delenda EstA pretty good post on the problems with the EPA:&nbsp;<a href="http://linkis.com/freerangereport.com/vXanb">The case for dissolving the EPA</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">The EPA is the prototype of agencies that, driven largely by politics, spend more and more to address smaller and smaller risks. In one analysis by the Office of Management and Budget, of the 30 least cost-effective regulations throughout the government, the EPA had imposed no fewer than 17. For example, the agency’s restrictions on the disposal of land that contains certain wastes prevent 0.59 cancer cases per year — about three cases every five years — and avoid $20 million in property damage, at an annual cost of $194 to $219 million. In his excellent book Breaking the Vicious Circle, written shortly before he was appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, Stephen Breyer cited another, similar example of expensive, non-cost-effective regulation by the EPA: a ban on asbestos pipe, shingles, coating, and paper, which the most optimistic estimates suggested would prevent seven or eight premature deaths over 13 years — at a cost of approximately a quarter of a billion dollars. Breyer, appointed to the court by President Bill Clinton, observed that such a vast expenditure would cause more deaths than it would prevent from the asbestos exposure, simply by reducing the resources available for other public amenities.</blockquote>This gets to one of my biggest problems with environmentalism as it is practiced in the United States today. Increasing costs (and growing government power) chasing ever smaller and less important improvements. This is not to say that we can't argue over exactly where to draw the line, but it's clear that in many cases EPA has the line so far behind them it's not visible in the rear view mirror.<br /><br />Read the whole thing.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/epa-delenda-est.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-2864214636240700008Sun, 04 Dec 2016 16:46:00 +00002016-12-04T11:46:06.530-05:00bacteriafishinfectionMemedicinevirusCould Fish Medicine Save Your Life?<a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/this-forgotten-wwi-antiseptic-could-be-the-key-to-fighting-antibiotic-resistance">This forgotten WWI antiseptic could be the key to fighting antibiotic resistance</a><br /><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">An antiseptic used in WWI hospitals has been revived after seven decades, and is showing great promise in preventing the common cold, and could be the key to fighting antibiotic resistance - one of the biggest ever threats to global health.<br /><br />The simple antiseptic, made from coal tar, was replaced by penicillin after the war, and fights both viral and bacterial infections in an entirely different way - one that could prevent pathogens from mutating to outsmart our medications.<br />. . .<br />Called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acriflavinium_chloride">Acriflavine</a>, the antiseptic is derived from coal tar, and comes in the form of a reddish brown or orange powder.<br /><br />It was first used in the early 1900s as a topical treatment to prevent flesh wounds from getting infected, and was widely used in hospitals and homes to treat everything from urinary tract infections and gonorrhoea until the 1940s, when penicillin came to the fore.<br /><br />It’s now been more than 70 years since penicillin became the most important tool we have to fight bacterial infections, and its days appear to be numbered.<br /><br />Many of the deadliest pathogens in the world have managed to mutate into forms that our penicillin-based drugs can’t recognise or destroy, and now antibiotic-resistant bacteria kill roughly <a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/the-science-world-s-freaking-out-over-this-25-year-old-s-solution-to-antibiotic-resistance">700,000 people each year</a> around the world.<br /><br />In addition to common hospital superbug, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), <a href="http://www.sciencealert.com/the-science-world-s-freaking-out-over-this-25-year-old-s-solution-to-antibiotic-resistance">experts are now concerned</a> that gonorrhoea is about to become resistant to all remaining drugs, and there are already <a href="http://www.livescience.com/36674-superbugs-drug-resistant-bacteria-infections.html">resistant strains</a> of tuberculosis, pneumonia, and E. coli being circulated.<br />. . .<br />So what makes Acriflavine a better fit than penicillin for our very serious superbug problem?<br /><br />Gantier and his team revisited the drug that showed so much success in the early 20th century, because until now, no one had investigated how it actually works.<br /><br />"Early scientific literature notes its antibacterial qualities in test tubes, but its very effective action on the skin has never been fully defined," <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/world-war-one-antiseptic-may-become-21st-century-saviour">Gantier told Bill Condie at Cosmos.</a><br /><br />The team investigated its behaviour in human cell cultures, and figured out that it binds to the DNA of the patient to kick the immune system into action when a viral infection was taking place.<br /><br />At the same time, the antiseptic also binds to viral DNA in the body, slowing the spread of viruses as the immune system prepares itself.</blockquote>If you Google acriflavine, you will soon see that one of &nbsp;it's major uses these days is as a fish medicine. Back in my teen years, when I worked in a tropical fish store, we used to make an all purpose "fish tonic", which consisted largely of methylene blue and acriflavine. The blue and the yellow acriflavine made it a lovely green color. &nbsp;We had a huge (OK, maybe 500 g) bottle of powdered acriflavine, and the medicine was made up by adding a teaspoon or so of each (no measurements actually involved), plus a little salt and some other secret (but probably ineffective) ingredients into a gallon jar, mixing it, and bottling it. A few teaspoons would turn a tank green for a couple of days, until the dyes were degraded or absorbed. It was remarkably effective for a large number of fish diseases.<br /><br />Once when I had a smashed finger nail that was starting to go bad, I drilled a hole in the nail to let out the pus and flushed it with the TNT special tonic (TNT aquarium was the name of the fish store). It stopped the infection in its tracks, at the cost of a green finger tip for a few days.<br /><br />I'm surprised a DNA intercaliting agent is being considered for internal use, though. They are general presumed to be carcinogenic based on the possibility of DNA damage.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/could-fish-medicine-save-your-life.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1840710415146608121.post-6126386659125163282Sun, 04 Dec 2016 13:20:00 +00002016-12-04T08:20:55.581-05:00New YorktraffictransportationThis Would Be a Crime If a Republican Did It<div class="tr_bq"><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/12/02/new-york-citys-traffic-is-intentionally-horrible/">The real reason for New York City's traffic nightmare</a></div><blockquote style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">City officials have intentionally ground Midtown to a halt with the hidden purpose of making drivers so miserable that they leave their cars at home and turn to mass transit or bicycles, high-level sources told The Post.<br /><br />Today’s gridlock is the result of an effort by the Bloomberg and de Blasio administrations over more than a decade of redesigning streets and ramping up police efforts, the sources said.<br /><br />“The traffic is being engineered,” a former top NYPD official told The Post, explaining a long-term plan that began under Mayor Mike Bloomberg and hasn’t slowed with Mayor de Blasio.<br /><br />“The city streets are being engineered to create traffic congestion, to slow traffic down, to favor bikers and pedestrians,” the former official said.<br /><br />“There’s a reduction in capacity through the introduction of bike lanes and streets and lanes being closed down.”<br /><br />The concerted effort includes:<br /><ul><li>Pedestrian plazas that have cut off entire lanes of traffic and created bottlenecks.</li><li>Protected bike lanes on major avenues that eat up a traffic lane and force trucks to double park.</li><li>Cross streets where turns are forbidden on nearly all avenues.</li><li>Intersections where drivers must wait for green arrows to turn onto avenues.</li><li>Ordering traffic agents to focus more on writing tickets and less on directing traffic.</li></ul>The goal of the jammed traffic is to shift as many drivers as possible to public transit or bicycles.<br /><br />An added benefit was supposed to be safer streets, but city officials have said that while 45,000 fewer cars and trucks now come into Midtown daily than in 2010, pedestrian deaths are on the uptick this year.</blockquote>And exactly what is Chris Christie administration under &nbsp;investigation for? <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lee_lane_closure_scandal">Manipulating traffic for political reasons</a>? The Devil you say!<br /><br />Yes, Bloomberg is nominally a Republican, but I don't know anyone who actually takes that seriously.http://fritz-aviewfromthebeach.blogspot.com/2016/12/this-would-be-crime-if-republican-did-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Fritz)0